Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and his Iraqi counterpart held talks Saturday on the planned referendum in Kurdistan Regional Government set to be held on Monday.

Meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara, Akar and Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Gen. Othman al-Ghanimi reiterated the importance of preserving Iraq’s territorial integrity and political unity, and the joint fight against terror organizations, according to a statement released by the Turkish General Staff.

They also exchanged views on maintaining effective cooperation on border security and safeguarding the region’s security and stability, the statement added.